A Waltham Abbey resident has launched a petition to save the 505 bus service, which is under threat of closure from 9th May. The current operators, Arriva and Network Harlow, say that the service is underused and running at a loss. The petition, hosted on the 38 Degrees website, call on Essex County Council to ensure that the 505 bus route from Chingford to Harlow remains operational, with its current or increased level of service, from 9th May 2015.

The petition was set up by Dave Plummer, who’s standing in the local elections on 7th May for the Green Party in Waltham Abbey South West.

Dave said, ‘The 505 route is vital for disabled people, the elderly, students, carers and the low waged/unwaged. With the imminent closure of the Independent Living Fund (ILF) the loss of any local transport service will be particularly hard for disabled people. The 505 might be running at a loss but public transport is a public service – profitability should be irrelevant. The council has said that other operators have expressed an interest in taking the route over. Let’s keep the pressure up to make sure the Council finds a replacement operator or takes over the service itself if necessary.’

Dave added, ‘The petition already has three hundred signatures, many coming after it was shared on Facebook by Keep It Local Waltham Abbey and Waltham Abbey Residents’ Association. It’s a non-party political petition and I encourage local groups to get in touch to organise their own paper versions and collect signatures to demonstrate our community’s support for the 505 bus route.’